Subject Verb Agreement

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What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

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Subject-Verb Agreement is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its verb.

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When should a singular verb be used?

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A singular verb should be used when the subject is singular, meaning it refers to one person, place, thing, or idea.

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When should a plural verb be used?

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A plural verb should be used when the subject is plural, meaning it refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

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Example of singular subject with singular verb.

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The cat (s) sleeps (v) on the mat.

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Example of plural subject with plural verb.

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The dogs (p) bark (v) loudly.

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What is the rule for collective nouns?

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Collective nouns (e.g., team, committee) are usually treated as singular when the group acts as a single unit.

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Example of collective noun with singular verb.

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The committee (s) is (v) meeting today.

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What is an exception to the collective noun rule?

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When the members of the collective act individually, a plural verb can be used.

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Example of collective noun with plural verb.

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The team (p) are (v) arguing among themselves.

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What is the rule for subjects joined by 'and'?

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When two subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb.